Love Story
by khaleesimaka
Summary: Soul has known Maka since they were children, and has always believed he loved her as a friend. But once things change, he tries to find the courage to tell her how he truly feels. Childhood best friends AU. My contribution for SoMa week 2015.
1. Sparks Fly

**Also check out Eischirmchen's art on tumblr (link on profile) because her and I did a collab for this week, and the things she's done for it are adorable!**

**Day 1: Geeking Out**

**Sparks Fly**

* * *

Throughout his life, Soul Evans has loved many things and people. He has had loves that were brief, didn't last so long, and died away as he grew older. There were loves that stayed with him, starting in his childhood and seeping into his teen years. There were the loves that he grew to realize were the most important, the ones that didn't fade away as time wore on, and the ones that shaped him into the person he is today.

It's incredible to think that everything played an important role in his life. How everything he cared for deeply has remained rooted on his timeline for all of eternity.

But there is one love he refuses to ever let go.

One that didn't originally start out as love, but rather grew as he did, as she did.

The person he has grown to love the most is the girl he has known since he was five and she moved next door to him. She's his best friend in the entire world, the only person who knows all of his secrets, the one who has been there for him when no else was, and the one who means the most to him. Maka Albarn has a kind soul that has touched him in ways he didn't know were possible. It has helped shape him into the person he is today, and taught him that it is possible for someone else to love him.

Even now as he stands near the gate to her house, hidden in the shadows from the rest of the partygoers, he knows it's true. His heart beats wildly against his ribcage, palms sweaty as he flexes his fingers in and out; even his breathing is shallow at what he has come here to do. He loves her. He loves her more than anyone else in the world, and he wants her to know that. It has been hell being away from her for so long, but it has taught him that really does want to be with her. There are no other people like her, no one else that makes his mind go blank or makes him think about future.

It has been her.

It has always been her, and now is his chance to see if she feels the same for him.

Xx.

The first time he realized his emotions for her went beyond the realm of friendship was when they had attended an anime con together.

It had been her bright idea to cosplay as two of the characters from a video game he played for a week, one that she had followed suit in was his first mistake: the only two characters from the game they had been able to dress up as were highly unpopular. They were a couple that made most fans cringe, a NOTP for almost everyone because the circumstances around their relationship were controversial.

Her large hat with the red eyes sewn in on the inside hit the dorsal fin that was strapped around his head when she moved slightly as she stood next to him in line for food. The carmine sailor outfit that was reminiscent of the protagonist's in the first bad ending looked better on her than he expected. Even the brown wig that resembled the girl she was meant to be looked natural on her. Soul swore Maka was able to put on just about anything, and it'd be perfect for her.

But that had always been her.

She had always fallen so naturally into things that were meant to be out of her element, always made them seem like she'd been born to do them. They were the complete opposites in that sense. He had always found it difficult to follow things outside of his norm, things that weren't designed for him. Like now as he felt suffocated in the white suit he wore, he became hyper aware of the accessories necessary for his own cosplay. The tail that was magnetized to the trousers of his suit and the dorsal fin that was strapped to his head both grew heavier as time passed.

Soul was ready to strip out of the outfit and into his boxers right about now, but there were still things to do for the con. Things that they had both wanted to see and buy because this was just as much for her as it was for him.

Sighing, he unconsciously raised his hand to run it through his hair, but allowed it to fall as he remembered the dorsal fin. "How much longer do we have to wait? I'm starving." He grabbed his stomach for emphasis, and felt rather than saw Maka's eye roll.

"That doesn't surprise me. You probably came out of the womb wanting food."

"Isn't that what most babies want when they're born?"

Her laugh rang out like a chorus of bells, and his stomach performed the all too familiar backflip as he batted away the ridiculous feelings. They were friends. Best friends. And they were the type of best friends who didn't fall in love with each other. Rather, they were the type who supported the other when they did form a more intimate relationship with someone else. That was who they were, and feeling any sort of affection for Maka that existed outside of those parameters was a dangerous thing.

"Only babies named Soul Evans."

"And what did you want when you came out? A library full of books?"

She turned and smiled. "That's exactly what I wanted. I was a practical baby."

"A practical baby who didn't have her priorities straight. You do know books won't feed you, right?"

"They feed you with knowledge, though," she said teasingly.

"You're an ass sometimes, you know that?"

"I do," she beamed. "But at least I'm not the type of person who complains when they're hungry all the time, like certain people I know."

"I don't do it all the time." Maka crossed her arms and smirked up at him as if to ask 'really?'. Soul glanced away and laughed a little before turning back with a smile. "Fine. I do it all the time. But that's because I like food so you can't really blame me. I'm a growing boy, Maka."

He puffed out his chest as if to emphasize his point, and she playfully punched him in the gut causing him to double over.

"You're seventeen, Soul! You're done growing!" she laughed.

"Agh! Says you!" He lightly kicked her ankle. "You don't know my life like you think you do."

"I've known you since we were kids. I'm pretty sure I know you better than most people. And I know you stopped growing last year so ha!"

Soul scoffed as his attention was diverted by the line moving up a little. "I hate when you talk book to me."

"No you don't."

Glancing back toward her, he noted the childlike spark in her forest green eyes, the fond half-smile as she stared back at him, and his heart skipped a beat. She was gorgeous when she looked at him like that, like she was in love with him, like he mattered. It made his body heat up, his palms sweaty, and his mind start to race. He knew he shouldn't allow himself to act that way, but it was unpreventable. Maka was his best friend, and he might have accidentally fallen in love with her, which was dangerous. Far too dangerous.

He had to control himself. Think of something cool to say that didn't cross the line of friendship or scare her away. Think of something that wasn't along the lines of confessing the feelings he was experiencing at that very moment, but nothing came to mind. For the first time in his life, Soul's brain had gone completely blank, and he wasn't entirely sure of what to say. Or at least what to say that didn't ruin his friendship with the girl right there on the spot.

So he said the only thing that seemed natural. Something that wasn't cool at all.

"What did you wanna eat again?"

Way to ruin the mood, Soul Evans. He was the epiphany of cool.

Maka's face seemed to drop for a second, but her smile quickly came back so he didn't think much about it. "Um, I think I'll stick with the basics. Burger and fries. Can't really go wrong there. You?"

"Same," he shrugged. "Can't go wrong with the classics."

About fifteen long minutes later, they were finally able to order their food. They found a small secluded corner in the court food area to sit down, munch on their meal, and satisfy their starving stomachs. When they finished, Soul and Maka headed toward one of the exhibit halls where all the vendors were located. He had distinctly remembered Maka mentioning that she wanted to buy some items from some swimming anime she loved

He had found it laughable that out of all the types of anime there were, Maka "I'm gonna kick your ass for saying something rude to me" Albarn chose sports anime. Soul had expected her to at least like cheesy shojos over sports any day. Or something that fell along the line of being dark and gritty like Death Note. But, nope. Instead she had chosen to fall in love with the sports anime that was geared toward horny girls due to the overly attractive boys.

Who the hell fit that kind of standard, anyway?

At least, that was his own general assumption. He preferred the dark, gritty, psychological anime that fucked with his head along with some shonens. Occasionally he chose to watch a good shojo if it came highly recommended, but that was very rare. Very, very rare. Soul had better things to do in his spare time than watch two idiots fall in love and get frustrated when they didn't.

Was it too much to ask for one fucking kiss scene?

The pair stopped at one of the booths that was selling fanart made by the artist right there on the spot. As Maka talked to the girl behind the table, chatting about the Free! boys they both loved so much, Soul moved over toward one of the vendors nearby. He browsed through the keychains and shirts that were sitting on the table, trying to find something that interested him, but came up short. The table was full of junk that no one in their right mind would be a fan of, things only perverts were interested thanks to the unnecessary fanservice.

Soul turned around to go back to Maka, but knocked right into a short, dark haired girl who was standing entirely too close to him. He reached out to help steady her before she fell to the ground. Watching as she dusted herself off, a light pink spreading over her cheeks, he noted the pigtails in her hair and the camera that was hanging around her neck, and assumed she was a photographer.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, her hands flying up to toy with the camera. "I was standing a little too close and wasn't expecting you to turn around so quickly."

"Uh, nah. It's okay. I should have been watching where I was going. It's this stupid tail." Soul scratched the back of his neck. "Nothing to be sorry about or anything."

"Mhm," she nodded.

He returned her gesture, rocking on his feet awkwardly before he smacked his lips together and said a cordial goodbye. But he didn't move very far. The girl quickly whipped around and grabbed his wrist preventing him from returning to his partner.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes." She paused, releasing him from her grip in the short amount of time. "I'm Tsugumi Harudori. I work for the Death Anime magazine. I'm not sure if you've heard of it before."

She trailed off as she glanced up at him, searching for some kind of reassurance that he had, and at his nod, she continued.

"Good!" It appeared like her entire demeanor changed at him recognizing the name. Tsugumi beamed up at him and stood a little straighter as she continued. "I'm supposed to be doing a spread about the cosplayers at this convention, and I noticed that you and the girl at that booth," she pointed at Maka, "are dressed as two characters from the same video game. Are you two together?"

His heart stopped for a brief moment before his brain fully processed what she meant by together.

"Uh, yeah," he said. "She's my best friend, and we decided to do a couple cosplay. Even though we aren't," Soul quickly added.

"Do you mind if I do a little photoshoot with you two? I think you'd both be perfect for my spread!"

Soul glanced over at Maka who was finishing up her conversation with the girl before returning to Tsugumi. If he really did know her as well as he thought he did (which he did of course), he assumed she wouldn't say no to the girl. Maka had always been the type to help someone who is in need. That was one of the many ways she was a better person than him, one of the reasons they were friends now.

"Sure. I don't think she'd mind."

"Mind what?" Maka asked as she appeared behind Tsugumi.

The other girl turned around and smiled at her. "I was asking him if you two would be okay with doing a small photoshoot for a magazine spread I'm working on."

"Oh, that sounds like fun!"

Maka looked over at him, and he read her thoughts through her inquisitive eyes. It must have been a surprise that he'd willingly agree to do something like this. Usually social things that called for him to do more than sit on his ass were a pain, and he refused to do them unless some bribing was involved. But he knew this was something she wanted to do, and as long as he was with her, he'd be able to handle it.

A few minutes later, they found themselves standing outside of the convention in front of the garden. The photographer, Tsugumi, stood in front of them directing their positions and telling them what to do, like where to stand for better lighting. It was slightly annoying, but also exciting because he was able to touch Maka like he had never done before.

His hands rested on her hips as she stood in front of him, striking a pose that was similar to something her character would do. Or sometimes she'd be pressed against him as she faced the camera. And every time she was remotely close to him, closer than she normally was, his heart beat wildly against his chest, breath catching in his throat as he didn't dare breathe. His chest warmed as she rested her head against him. He hoped she wasn't able to hear the irregular beat of his heart.

Tucking her chin between his thumb and forefinger, Soul raised her head slightly up toward him while she kept her eyes focused on Tsugumi. But it seemed like the world evaporated around them as he stared at her face, noting the light blonde lashes outlining her eyes. He was able to count the subtle freckles across her cheeks and nose, how they added a beauty to her face that he hadn't seen before.

Little things became more prominent than before as she stood in the sunlight. Maybe it was the first time he saw them, or maybe he had known of them all along. He wasn't sure, but he did know she was more radiant than before. The desire to kiss every aspect of her was strong as he stroked his thumb across her jaw line. They looked so natural on her. Her features came together to form the person he had known for years. The person who made his heart slow, the sounds around them grow quieter, and her small, shallow breaths fill the silence. Suddenly, it was only him and her, standing in the middle, standing in the middle of two rose bushes.

And there was nothing else that mattered.

He didn't register his actions, allowed himself to move of his own accord, and it wasn't until Tsugumi's squeals of excitement broke through his reverie that he noticed anything.

Their faces were inches apart from each other, her hot breath warming his face as she stared at him wide eyed. He had only thought of kissing her, but he wasn't expecting himself to actually move in to do it. It wasn't the right time, the right place, or the right anything, to be honest. Neither one had talked about being more than just friends, or expressed that they were in love with each other.

It was wrong, and he wasn't the type of person who put her on the spot like that.

Soul quickly moved away from Maka, praying that she didn't hit him upside the head or chide him for being a pervert. He knew how she felt about things like that,forcing someone into something they weren't ready for yet. And kissing your best friend definitely fell under that category.

Licking his lips, he opened his mouth to apologize, but was interrupted by the photographer.

"That was so cute!" she squealed. "The reader's are gonna eat that right up and talk about this all over tumblr! I just know it! You two were fantastic! So believable!"

Maka blinked a few times before turning toward the other girl. "Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!"

"I thought it was absolutely adorable! Thank you both so much for doing this! I really appreciate it! And I hope you two have a fun day at the rest of the con! Bye!"

"Bye!" Maka said for the both of them since Soul was still too focused on apologizing.

Once Tsugumi had disappeared back into the convention hall, Soul said, "Sorry about that back there. I didn't mean to do that to you or anything."

Maka straightened out her skirt, and made sure her wig was still in place before glancing up at him. "It's okay. Don't worry about it."

And it was the soft smile she gave him, the sincerity in her voice as she said it was okay, the adoration in her gaze that made him realize it.

Soul Evans was falling in love with his best friend.


	2. Almost Do

**Day 2: Cuddles**

**Almost Do**

* * *

He chickens out at the last minute, and ends up going back to his house next door to calm his nerves.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Soul craddles his head in his hands, and chides himself over and over how much of an idiot he is. Who the hell was he kidding? Maka didn't love him. Her feelings for him didn't tread beyond that of friendship. There have been so many accounts in their friendship where she had made it clear that she only saw him as a friend and nothing more. Hell, she had even dated a couple guys in high school. Why would she do that if she had feelings for him as well?

Soul falls onto his bed and sighs. This doubt isn't good for his well being at all, and he needs to be rational about the whole thing. He's talking about Maka here. Maka the girl who's nice to everyone she meets. The girl who has befriended loners and misfits throughout life, and sees only the good in others when they didn't see it themselves. This was the Maka he has known for years, and he's over thinking the situation too much.

He needs to be more rational and not sike himself out.

"Ugh, keep it together, Eater. You aren't being cool at all," he says to himself.

Dropping his hands, he stares up at his ceiling and tries once again to convince himself to do this. To tell Maka he was madly in love with her, has been in love with her since they were in high school, and that he's an idiot for not telling her sooner. That's probably the only way she'll believe him now. Or even think of what her feelings for him were. It might even help keep her rejection lighthearted, and leave now bad feelings between them.

"You can do this, Soul. You're better than this. Just go over there and tell her you love her. Let things fall into play as is."

But that's easier said than done.

Xx.

Since the summer he started kindergarten, they had made it a point to start the tradition of spending one last summer night in her treehouse.

The treehouse had been their play area for the past year that they knew each other, and was an important part for both of their lives. It was theirs when both of their parents left to go to work, and only the babysitter was around to care for them. Theirs when his beloved dog passed away, and he needed a place to stay because his home didn't feel right for the longest time. Theirs when her parents were arguing over some nonsense, and she wanted to sleep there instead of her bed.

Their treehouse had become a sanction for them, some type of security blanket that they both clung to at times of trouble. That was probably why she had insisted on creating the tradition when she found out he'd be attending school soon.

The first time it was when she was five and he was six, two nights before his days were spent in a classroom rather than with her. They had stayed up all night reading to each other from one of the books her papa had given to her before finally curling up under a blanket together and falling asleep. Then the next year he had spent most of the night telling her the wonders of school, and all the things he knew she'd like the most about it. He clearly remembered how big her green eyes were as he told about all the books in the library, how nice the teachers were, and how much she'd learn. It was probably one of the best nights of his life.

It wasn't until she herself started school that there was a twist thrown into their tradition.

It just so happened that Maka had met a boy named Blake Barett in her first grade class that year who had introduced her to the world of horror stories. Soul still remembered the first day she came home and ran over to his house to show him the new Goosebumps book she had borrowed from the school library. There was a girl holding up a scary looking green mask that stretched across her face with vampire fangs and yellow eyes on the cover, and it had creeped him out. Yet he still listened intently as she retold the story, her body buzzing with excitement.

After that day, Maka's love of horror, scary stories, and urban legends came to life, and Soul found himself wishing she hadn't.

As they became older and outgrew sleeping in the treehouse, they moved their tradition into her home, and substituted Maka telling her own rendition of an urban legend or scary story for horror movies. His best friend's film collection was actually vast and more varied than he had expected, but her taste in the horror genre was consistent. She didn't stick with the traditional route where teens had sex and were then slaughtered. No, Maka didn't much care for watching fifty minutes of sexual intercourse and doing drugs with only ten reserved for the gore.

She preferred films where the horror aspect was taken into play

Films where the suspense was built up perfectly

And Soul absolutely hated it.

He wasn't much of a horror person. He preferred to stay away from anything that jumped out at him to avoid heart attacks and nightmares. Which was more difficult than he thought it would be considering Maka was his best friend, and those were the things that drove her. The things that she craved for every year. And she loved sharing that love with her own best friend. Telling him about the new urban legend she had read online, and suggesting they visit the most haunted places in the world one day.

But Soul being who he was with Maka had always reluctantly followed.

No matter how horrific the film, he always watched it with her. No matter how bad he knew his nightmares were going to be, he never budged from his spot on the couch.

And the most probable reason for that was because he had Maka as his best friend.

It didn't matter how late it was, she was always a phone call away. She was always able to soothe his soul and help him fall asleep when his fears were too active. Maka was the best friend a guy like him could ask for.

The night before he left for college and two nights before she started her final year of high school, they had their annual treehouse/living room tradition. She was curled up under a blanket, the screen casting shadows over her while he munched on the overly sweet popcorn between them. They were watching one of her favorites. Some movie where the house was haunted, and the idiot dad had moved his family into it thinking they'd be safe. Classic ghost film.

About halfway through the movie, Maka had started to nod off. It didn't surprise Soul since she had spent all night at one of Blake's many summer parties and hadn't slept a wink since she came home. Being the utter gentleman that he was, he placed the bowl onto her coffee table, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to pull her toward him.

Maka sucked in a heavy breath and blinked a few times before glancing up at him. "What are you doing?"

"Thought you'd prefer to sleep on something a little more comfortable," he shrugged.

"No. That's okay." She moved away from him, but he kept his grip on her and pulled her back on his chest. "I'm not even tired, Soul."

"You and I both know that's bullshit. You stayed up all night at Blake's–"

"Black Star."

"Right. Black Star's party." He had forgotten the boy was now asking that everyone call him by the nickname. "You stayed there all night, and haven't slept since you came home. Sleep, Maka. It's good for you."

"Soul, I don't need to sleep." She tried to wiggle herself out of his grip, but failed. Maka might have been the rugby team captain which meant she was in better shape than him, but Soul was strong as well when he wanted to be.

"Maka, just sleep. You've seen this movie too many times already. You can miss it for one night." He heard a small growl from her. "Don't do that. It isn't ladylike."

"Neither is ripping your dick off, but I'm seriously thinking of doing that if you don't let me go."

"Maka," he warned as she continued to struggle. "Stop being so stubborn and just go the fuck to sleep. I honestly don't mind."

After a few minutes of her grumbling that she was fine and didn't need to sleep, Maka finally settled down. She rested her head on his chest, and slid her arm around his waist in a position that was familiar to couples. But they weren't a couple. They were best friends. Best friends who had known each other since they were little, and it was natural for friends to cuddle like this.

Right?

The way his breathing slowed, his heart picked up, and heat that crawled up his neck, though, told him otherwise.

"There. Better?" he asked once he was sure his voice would come out normal.

"Mhm."

Maka buried her face more into his chest, and Soul prayed she wasn't able to feel how hard his heart was pounding or the fact that he was internally screaming because holy shit. His best friend was on his chest. The girl he had a crush on was casually resting on top of him. If a meteor came, he'd die happily in all honesty.

"You're really warm and comfy."

Soul scoffed, shaking off his nerves as he tried to calm himself. "That's because you're a naturally cold person."

"Mm, doesn't matter. You're really warm, and I like it." She squeezed him a little harder. "I wanna stay here like this all the time."

_If only_.

He smiled to himself as she made herself a little more comfortable against him before forcing his attention back to the movie. Though, he did have to admit it was very nice to have her pressed against him like that. Her heart gently thrummed against him, her body heat was welcoming as it seeped through her shirt, and the sound of her breath evening out was soothing. Everything about the moment was perfect. His own heart slowed, and the all too familiar tingle in his fingertips began to crawl up his arms.

A part of him wished they were indeed together, that he had come out clean with Maka since the very beginning. Since the moment he realized he was falling in love with her. He wanted to kiss her and hold her like that all the time. Watch movies with her on the couch and stuff his face with popcorn before engaging in a hot make out session that maybe led to more. A huge part of him wanted to be with Maka so bad, but he couldn't.

They were best friends, and best friends didn't fall in love with each other.

Hadn't Maka made it clear a long time ago that she only saw him as a friend?

Didn't she kindly reject his affections when he practically said he loved her on Valentine's Day?

She had.

Soul needed to learn to keep his feelings at bay, and not allow them to ruin their friendship. Maka was too important for him to lose.

Then again, there was always the card from when they were kids…

No. That was a silly thought by itself. They had been kids when she had given him that – written the message inside – and it definitely didn't hold up now. Marriage wasn't something Maka was interested in or wanted. And she definitely didn't want to marry him if she had the choice.

Glancing down at her, he noted the steadiness of her breathing and the softness of her face as she slept against him. Soul leaned down to lay a gentle kiss on top of her head, the citrus smell still there from her shampoo wafted up his nose as he did so, and her hair felt smooth against his lips. It was a short peck, but he remained hovered over her for a short while. His eyes closed as he pretended she was awake and able to hear his voice. That her hands were caressing his own as she watched the family on screen get slaughtered.

He pretended like this was his perfect moment to admit his feelings for her.

"I love you," he whispered.

Suddenly, Maka started to stir in his arms, and Soul panicked. His heart pounded against his chest, and his mind tried to come up with a logical reason for why he'd tell his best friend he loved her. She had probably heard him. Her own mind was probably too groggy to comprehend it right now, but it would eventually. And he needed to think of something quick. It wasn't the right time or the right moment. He had to take it back!

"I-I mean as a friend!" he shouted a little too loud. "I love you as a friend! Nothing more!"

But as she settled against him again and didn't say a word, Soul knew she hadn't heard him.

Sighing in relief, he pressed his head to the back of the couch. "That was far too close."

Xx.

Before Soul leaves his room, he grabs the old Valentine card he keeps hidden in his drawer, and stuffs it in his back pocket.


	3. Bad Blood

**Day 3: Catharsis**

**Bad Blood**

* * *

Soul makes his way downstairs, the Valentine's card feeling burning in its position in his back pocket, but he's more determined now. He knows exactly what he's going to do and say to Maka. There's a plan brewing in his mind as he walks across the living room. Nothing's going to stop him from confessing his love to his best friend. Not even him. This is a moment he has been building himself up for for months. Since he first realized his pining wasn't because he missed his best friend.

It was because he was head over heels in love with her.

His hand grabs the doorknob, and as he turns it, his brother enters the hallway and stares at him.

"What're you doing here?" Wes asks. "I thought you'd be at Maka's birthday party."

Sighing at the new obstacle, Soul drops his hand and turns around. "That's where I'm going now."

"But didn't you leave an hour ago?"

"Yeah," he says, irritation coating his voice.

Did his brother honestly have to bother him now?

"Then what are you doing back here?"

"I had to grab something from my room."

Wes crosses his arms in front of his chest and leans against the archway. "Let me guess, it's that card Maka gave you when you two were kids, huh?"

Soul blinks. "How do you know about that?"

"Because, little brother, I am the all knowing Wes Evans, and I know you've kept it hidden in your underwear drawer for years. Probably pull it out to read her message over and over. Right?"

"Shut the hell up," he growls.

Wes' only response is to chuckle and shake his head as he pushes himself off the wall and walks toward his brother. Ruffling his hair - much to Soul's dismay - Wes fondly smiles at him.

"I think it's cute that you've kept it after all these years."

Soul violently pushes Wes' hand away, and glares up at him. "I don't need your opinion!"

His brother stuffs his hands into his pockets, and ignores what he said. "You and Maka make a cute couple. I don't think I've ever told you that before."

"What?"

"You two have always been there for each other which makes you both good for the other person." Wes smiles like he knows something Soul doesn't. "I'm sure she'll still mean what she wrote in that card years ago."

Soul blinks. "The fuck are you talking about?"

But his brother ignores him as he turns around and walks up the stairs. "Good luck, little brother. Be sure to use protection!"

Soul's face burns as he catches the implications of his brother's words, and he fights back the urge to run up there and kick Wes where the sun don't shine. But he decides against it as he leaves the house. There are better things he needs to do with his time, more pressing matters than beating the shit out of his brother.

And they all have to do with Maka Albarn.

Xx.

The Albarn and Evans family had become quick friends right off the bat after their first meeting with each other, much to Soul's surprise.

Soul hadn't originally expected his dad of all people to enjoy being around Spirit Albarn. Spirit was the epitome of everything his father hated, and everything he believed was wrong with society. The man didn't dress himself like the normal men his father befriended. Nor did he speak in the same mannerisms. But despite that, they had somehow become friends, and as Soul grew older, he began to understand why.

It was because they were both businessmen, and Spirit was the director for Death Enterprises, the same company his father worked for. And when it came to friendships, money always talked the loudest for Edward Evans.

His mother, however, was an entirely different story. She had become instant friends with Rei Albarn based on purely how similar their interests were. Elizabeth Evans didn't much care for money and creating connections with those who were at a higher level than her. She had always preferred to have friendships where she genuinely enjoyed the other person's company, and was able to spend a day out with them. Which was why Maka's mom had become one of her best friends in a short amount of time, and why Maka and Soul had found themselves as each other's best friend in less than a year.

The two families had always spent time over at each other's house. Whether it was for a summer barbeque or over to watch the Super Bowl, their weekends were always spent together. They had grown close to each other, and their kids did as well. Which was why when _the fight_ happened, they knew about it right away.

It wasn't really a surprise to his parents that Spirit and Rei's marriage had been on the rocks for some time. Soul remembered coming home one day to find Maka's mom crying in his living room and complaining about her husband's exploits. His best friend had confided in him many times before about the same issue so it wasn't that unexpected. He had treated it like a normal situation: said his generic greeting, made his way up to his room, and holed himself in there until Maka called.

Not even the divorce surprised him.

What had been unexpected, though, was the fact that Rei had left without a trace or word or letter to her family. One day she was there arguing with Spirit, and the next she was gone.

If Maka had been hurt or upset about it, Soul never saw it happen.

But he did know his best friend had been affected by it somehow, even without her telling him straight out if it did or not.

As time went on and Maka grew older, she seemed to take it in strides and put her anger over the situation onto other things. She blamed her papa all the time, was cynical at the worst of times, and was always cautious with relationships. He had seen her guard her heart so many times, never wanting to fall to in love in case the same thing happened to her.

Not once did she ever blame her mom, though. Instead she had worshiped the woman and wanted to be just as good as she was in high school. Maka wanted to be valedictorian, be captain of the rugby team, and a mathletes champion exactly like Rei had done. She was probably an even better person than her mother ever was. At least that was Soul's opinion. Because unlike Rei, Maka didn't give up when things were tough. She had persevered through all her obstacles.

Maka was strong as a rock when it came to her mother's departure. Soul had believed she was fine with the entire situation. At least, he did until the incident happened.

The only time Soul had ever seen Maka so wounded and distressed was the day she received a wedding invitation in the mail.

Soul was sitting on the edge of his bed playing a video game with his online friends when his door suddenly burst open. Jumping about ten feet, he quickly turned his attention to the door to yell at his brother, but when he saw it was Maka, he thought against it. Instead his first reaction was to drop the controller and remove his headset. Her pigtails were disarrayed as pieces of hair stuck out, her face red and splotchy, and her eyes were puffy.

Something was wrong.

"What happened?" he asked as he stood up to turn of hix Xbox. He didn't even bother telling his friends he had to leave. Maka was more important than angered people he barely knew.

"This."

He noted how scratchy her voice was as she handed over a white envelope. Opening it, Soul pulled out a pretty cardstock invitation with silver swirls along the sides and black lettering in the middle. In bold print it said what the purpose behind it, and Soul's heart dropped for his friend.

Glancing back up at her, he saw Maka in a new light. Her eyes looked wild like she was ready to murder someone, but there was a frail child hiding behind them as well. A child that had hurt over this for far too long, and was ready to release the pent up anger she had felt for years. The heartbreak was clear as she raised her hands to twine them in her hair, causing the pigtails to become even more loose. Even her shaky sigh was distressed.

"How can she be getting remarried?" Maka whispered. "How can she do this to me? She leaves without telling me anything - no goodbye or explanation - and the first I hear from her in four years is that she's marrying a man I've never meant? This isn't fair!"

Soul blinked, read the card again, and looked back up at his best friend. "I don't know."

For the first time in his life, he wasn't entirely sure what to tell her. In the past, it had been easy. Maka did came up with an idea that was stupid, and he'd be there to tell her how idiotic it was while also reluctantly following her. But this was different. This wasn't her fault. She wasn't the one who was doing something wrong in the situation. This was her mother. A person he barely knew, and had been absent from both of their lives since she was twelve and he thirteen.

There were no words to say.

"This isn't fair!" she said again. Maka dropped her hands, folded them across her chest, and paced in front of his bed. "And there was another letter that came with telling me that I was gonna have a new step-sister soon. So she can spend all her time with someone's daughter, but she can't even try to keep in contact with her own daughter? That's just so stupid! What kind of mother does that to her kid?!"

She stopped in front of Soul, who was still sitting on the edge of his bed, and glared down at him. After a short moment of silence between them - his brother cursing in the next room as he dropped something - Maka finally spoke.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Well, do you have anything to say?! You're my best friend! I was sure you'd have something to tell me about this! That I'm wrong to be angry at her, and that I should forgive her because I haven't spoken to her in so long. That this is my chance to make amends. Something!"

Soul shook his head, mouthing slightly open. "I don't think you're wrong to be angry at her. Your mom hasn't tried to contact you in four years, she left without telling you anything, and the first piece of contact is to tell you that she's marrying someone you've never met before. She could of at least brought him into town, and introduced you two. Spend a day with you in the city, or something." He looked back down at the letter still in his hand.

"But instead she sends you a wedding invite telling you you're going to have a new step family. Oh, and that she's getting married in Paris so you better save up your money for that unexpected expense." Sighing, he looked back up. "Honestly, this is a really shitty thing for your mom to do to you, and you don't deserve it."

"I hate her," she whispered.

But the spite and pain was still present in her small voice, and it sent a small shudder down his spine. Out of all the times that they had fought throughout their friendship, he had never seen her this furious. None of the moments that she had been pissed off at him even amounted to this. Maka was wild, ready to rip some heads off, and Soul was genuinely afraid of her.

Standing up from his bed, he walked over to the shelves against his wall, grabbed a few trophies he had won from music competitions, and went back toward her. They weren't that important to him. They were mostly from winning second place or for participating because his piano playing had been shit. The only real sentimental meaning they had behind them were the fact that Wes had cheered him on from the stands, but other than that, they didn't matter. And right now, Maka needed to take her anger out on something that wasn't a human body.

"Here," he said as he handed over one of them.

Maka took it, stared at it for a few seconds, and then back at him. "What do you want me to do with this?"

"Break it."

"But aren't these-"

"Just do it. Trust me, you'll feel better once you do it."

She licked her lips as she thought of what to do before raising her hand to rip off the musical note that sat precariously on top. It seemed to spark something in her because afterward she threw it on the ground and stomped down it. Her foot squished the plastic into his carpet, and a small growl escaped from her throat. Taking another trophy, she did the exact same thing, except this time instead of pressing down on it, she kneeled down to beat it against the other. Curses flew from her mouth as she repeatedly bashed the trophies against each other, and yelled out her mother's name.

Several minutes passed in which none of his family members came to see what the hell they were doing up there before she finally stopped. Her breathing came out ragged, and her chest pumped up and down as her anger started to subside. It made way for the next emotion he knew his friend was feeling, the one he had mentally prepared himself to care for as she broke the trophies. This situation wasn't only physically hurtful for her, but it was also emotionally painful. Years had passed with Maka admiring the women she had called Mama, praising her for every exploit she had in her younger years, but this was a low blow.

To realize your ideal was complete shit as a hard reality to face.

"I still don't feel better," she sobbed.

Soul kneeled beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her attention toward him. Silent tears fell down her face, staining her cheeks and flowing into the crevices of her mouth, and he wrapped his arms around her. He cradled her against his chest as she started to cry harder, the wet and heat seeping through his shirt. Carefully, he stood them up, maneuvered them over toward his bed, and sat down on the edge. Not letting Maka go as she wept on his chest, he laid down and placed a blanket on top of them.

Her cries began to get louder and her sobs more infrequent as she buried her face into his shirt, and his soul reached out to comfort her. This wasn't fair - it really wasn't - and he hated seeing his best friend like this. Out of all the people in the world, she didn't deserve this. She deserved a mother who had been there to explain things to her, to help her through the emotional turmoil of being a teenager, do things a mom was supposed to do for her daughter.

But instead she received this.

God the universe was one fucked up place. Even the nicest and sweetest people experienced the short stick of life.

Soothing back her bangs, Soul slowly forced Maka to glance up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy, cheeks stained with pink, and a bit of snot dripped from her nose. His heart lurched at the sight of her. The desire to kiss her and remove her pain was strong, to tell her promises that everything was going to be okay as he rid her tears. She was the most beautiful person in the world, his best friend, and the girl he had fallen in love with.

But he didn't do any of that.

Instead, he rubbed his thumbs across her lids, and smiled. "Feel better now?"

"A little."

He ruffled her hair, making it messier than it was already. "Don't worry. I'll be here until you do feel better."

Maka's smile was small as she stared up at him, her gaze grateful before she snuggled back into his chest. They laid there for another hour or so, Soul soothing Maka as she released her pent up frustration. His brother came in and gave them chocolate and hot tea, claiming he had a feeling they'd need it, and left them alone once again.

The rest of their day was spent sitting in his room playing Call of Duty online. Maka seemed to enjoy slaughtering the opposing team a little too much, but there was a noticeable change in her demeanor that made Soul warm with satisfaction.

Two months later, they found themselves in Paris standing in a church full of strangers as they watched her mother remarry. Soul held her hand throughout the ceremony, keeping her feelings at bay as he felt her body buzz with irritation. She wasn't fine during the whole ordeal, a small sliver of anger still lived in her body, but he knew as long as he was there she was going to be okay. This was something they were going to get through together no matter what because that's what friends did for the people they loved.


	4. Fighting Dragons with You

**Day 4: Dragons**

**Fighting Dragons with You**

* * *

He cuts across their shared yard as he makes his way back over to Maka's house. Rather than going to her backyard first, however, he opens the front door to her house and heads to the back through there. Soul notes how much her living room hasn't changed since the last time he was there. How the stains from their crayons when they were little are still smeared across the wall, and how the pillows on the couches don't match at all with the rest of the decor. The same manic moon he remembers scared him the first time he ever saw still looms on the wall, the twisted smile sending chills down his spine.

It doesn't live up to his taste in decorations, but everything about it screams Maka. And his heart warms at the thought this might be the girl he'll marry one day. That one day their varying tastes are going to clash so well together that no one's going to notice. They'll say that it's the Albarn-Evans way because it explains the pair of them so well, and a smile creeps along his face.

"Soul?" comes a voice from behind him.

Soul stops just inches away from the back door, and turns around to see Spirit Albarn standing behind him.

"What are you doing here? I thought Maka said you weren't going to make it home in time for the party."

"Uh." He threads his fingers through his hair as he tries to come up with a good explanation. "Yeah, I wasn't, but then there was a change in plans so I was able to come home for the weekend."

It isn't the complete truth, but he doesn't have to explain himself to Spirit either. There's only one person who deserves to know why he lied to her, and she's standing outside.

"Ah," is all Spirit says. "I'm happy you were able to make it then. Maka really did miss you, you know. She always finished her homework early to be on time for your skype calls, and refused to talk to anyone when she knew you'd be available."

Soul isn't sure what to say to that so he just nods. He's flattered but also flustered at the thought that Maka had missed him just as much as he missed her. His decision to surprise her for the weekend is probably going to pay off once he finally goes outside.

"You two have been through a lot together." Spirit pauses and gives him a small smile like he knows something Soul doesn't. "You may be an octopus headed kid, but you're good for her. I'm sure she'll be excited to see you. Go on outside to the party, Evans."

And he listens to Spirit.

And there's a new spring in his step as he catches the implications of Spirit's words, how out of character they are for the older man, and his heart is pounding against his chest because he knows.

He knows what Maka's answer is going to be, but he's still nervous as fuck.

Xx.

Fights weren't particularly foreign when it came to their friendship.

When they were younger, Soul had learned early on that Maka had a slight temper, and by slight, he meant she had a short fuse. There had been many times when he had done something that ticked her off, and every single one of them were met with the same reaction. She placed her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks, and stomped her foot. The first time she had looked ridiculous doing it. But the second time he learned that was dangerous because he had always met with the same fate.

Receiving _the look_ from his mom because he hadn't originally wanted Maka to play with him was never fun, no matter how old he was.

As they grew older, though, her tactics had become a little more abusive. When Soul was going through his preteen years, there had been things he'd say without really thinking. Things he had thought made him seem more cool at the time. Which it really didn't. No, teasing his best friend because her looks weren't up to par with the standard of society was a real low blow. And Maka made sure he knew it too. His skull had met the spine of a book many times when he was going through puberty, and it didn't stop until he entered high school.

That was around the time he began learning that he shouldn't make fun of her because she was flat chested and had fat ankles. It was also around the time that he started appreciating those aspects of her, and his mind had become too preoccupied with wanting to say _other _things.

Either way, though, their fights still didn't disappear or run their course. They had actually become worse, and grew into Maka yelling at him.

It had started when she entered high school after him. Back when he wasn't entirely sure if he still felt platonic love for her, or if it had become romantic love over night. He had found himself ignoring her when they passed each other in the hallway, avoiding eye contact when they walked up to their houses, and not returning her phone calls or texts. The whole thing was stupid and childish, but he didn't know what else to do. His heart stopping at the sight of her and his chest going cold weren't feelings he was used to experiencing for his best friend.

Eventually, she finally cornered him outside his house and screamed at him, asking him what the hell his problem was. He should have expected it, though. Maka was never the type to avoid situations or allow someone to fuck her over without an explanation. She was the type who faced things head on, especially things that bothered her or placed a turmoil on her heart and soul that she wasn't able to handle. And that was what Soul had done to her. Stopped their friendship that had been built on years of knowing each other without any explanation, and probably caused her to put the blame on herself.

Needless to say, he had felt like complete shit after that day, and made sure Maka was treated as the best friend that she was for the rest of the month.

But as time went on and they became a little older, Maka resorted to other tactics when she was pissed at him.

Namely, the silent treatment.

Soul groaned as he was killed yet again in Call of Duty, and flopped down on top of his bed as he waited for another round to start. Thrumming his fingers over the front of his phone, he prayed for it to vibrate or ring. To do something! It had been silent for an entire week, and he wished he knew what he had done wrong. The ceiling fan rotated around and around, its blades mocking him as it went, and he wanted nothing more than to rip it down.

Maka had been ignoring him for an entire week now. She wasn't answering his calls or texts; when she saw him in the hallways at school,she pursed her lips and turned away. He had fucked up, but he didn't know what exactly he had done to fuck up. There weren't any important dates or events that had passed. It wasn't anywhere close to being her birthday. Hell, he hadn't even said anything to piss her off. But he had definitely done something, and it was bugging him.

Sitting back up, Soul grabbed his phone, swiped it on, and the screen lit up to show him his unanswered texts. The fine lettering at the bottom teased him as it told him the days and times she had read his messages. They each ranged from apologizing for whatever shitty thing he had done to begging her to please tell him what he did, and they were each lonesome as they remained with no reply. No explanation to tell him how he could fix this situation.

He typed out another text, asking her if she wanted to go get food or something. Anything to get her to talk to him. Soul was so desperate for some kind of contact with the girl, he'd probably even agree to go see that shitty new Nicholas Sparks movie she had been gushing about. His thumb hovered over the send button as he quickly debated if he should or not before pressing down on it and tossing his phone back to the side.

First round of Call of Duty, no answer.

Second round, no answer.

Third round, no answer.

An hour later, and Soul still hadn't received a reply from her.

"The fuck did I do?" he groaned out as he fell back on his bed.

The next day at school was exactly like the past week. He saw Maka in the hallway, wanted to say hi, but she looked away before he was even able to raise his hand. If she wanted to give him hell, she was doing a mighty fine job of it because Soul was downright anxious. His nerves were on end for the rest of the day, his mind focused on everything he had said and done in the last year. Soul over thought everything, and believed every little thing was a strike on his record with her and the reason for her avoiding him.

To say he was a nervous wreck was an understatement.

After school, he made his way toward the student parking, his helmet tucked under his armpit while he texted his brother in the other hand. He didn't pay attention to where he was going as he kept his attention focused on his phone. For him, it was normal to pretend like he was preoccupied in order to keep people from bothering him. Soul occasionally glanced up to make sure he didn't bump into anyone, but no one conversed with him as he left the high school. It wasn't until he reached his bike that he noticed her standing beside it.

Stopping a short distance away, he took his time as he slid his phone into his back pocket. He switched his helmet to his other arm, and ran a hand through his unruly hair as he tried to calm his nerves. Soul needed to remember that she had been avoiding him for the last week, never bothered to tell him what he had done to piss her off, and caused him to fret over every little detail of his life. Maka had put him through hell, and he wasn't going to allow himself to forgive.

Even if his first instinct was to grovel at her feet, and thank the heavens that she was there.

He was better than that.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I need a ride home. Tsu is busy finishing her art piece, Star's staying to give her a ride, and the girls on the rugby team said they'd rip my teeth out if I schedule one more practice with no breaks."

"So I'm your only option?" Maka nodded, her lips pursed as she stared at the pavement and refused to look up. Soul let out an unhumourous laugh. "That's funny considering you haven't talked to me in the last week."

"I know," she grumbled. "But you're the only other person who has a vehicle. And we live next to each other so it isn't like you have to go out of your way."

"You've been giving me the silent treatment. Do you honestly think I'd give you a ride home? Just walk."

"You and I both know you're not gonna do that, though."

He didn't respond.

Instead he treated her the same way she had treated him, and silently walked toward his bike. He settled the helmet on the handlebar as he mounted it, pulled his keys from his jacket pocket, and stuck them into the ignition. Soul focused on taking his time as he straightened out his clothes that didn't need it and brushed off invisible dust from his pants. Maka's glare burned into his back as her frustration buzzed in the air around them, but he pretended not to notice. It was low of him, but payback was a bitch sometimes.

"Soul," she growled. "You're not honestly gonna make me walk home, are you?"

A few seconds passed, his engine roaring like a restless dragon, and he still didn't respond.

"Soul, I swear to god if you don't-"

"Here," he said as he thrusted his helmet into her stomach. "Stop wasting time and get on already."

Turning slightly, he noted her surprised look as she straddled the bike behind him and slid the helmet over her head. He smiled to himself as he knocked the kickstand up before maneuvering out of the school parking lot. For the first few minutes of their ride, Maka refused to hold him around his waist like she normally did when they were on the bike. Instead she held onto the bars on either side of her seat, leaning as far away from him as possible.

At least she did until he made a particularly sharp turn that had her wrapping her arms around him for dear life since she almost fell off.

If she was talking to him, she'd probably chide him for doing such a dick move.

When he parked in his driveway, Maka didn't waste any time as she dismounted the bike, handed him his helmet, and crossed through the grass toward her house. But Soul was quick as he put down the kickstand with his boot and turned off the engine before following her. His hand wrapped around her wrist to stop her from going any further, and she whipped around, green eyes blazing as she glared at him.

For someone who was shorter than him, she was definitely a very intimidating person.

Soul backed away a little, but refused to let go of her. Frankly he was sick of the silent treatment, and wanted to clear things up between them again.

"The hell is your problem?" he asked.

She tried to shake his hand off her, but failed. "I could ask you the same thing! Let go of me!"

"Not until you tell me what the fuck I did wrong!" But he still loosened his grip on her, and prayed she didn't run away from this. "You've ignored me for a whole week without telling me shit about what I did wrong!"

Maka gaped at him like he was a complete moron, and that the answer to his question was as plain as day. "You honestly don't know?"

"No. If I did, do you think I'd be asking you now?"

She growled and stomped her foot that was reminiscent of when they were kids, and if she wasn't furious right now, he'd probably think she was cute.

"You are the biggest idiot on the face of the planet! I can't believe you, of all people would forget something as important as the anniversary of when we first became friends!"

He blinked and backtracked a little because that didn't make sense. Not one year had passed where he had forgotten their friendship anniversary. There had been a tradition with it, one he kept up with since he turned ten, and he was positive that he hadn't missed celebrating it. Hell, it had always been him who sent her a text first thing in the morning to tell her happy anniversary. Their anniversary wasn't even in April! It was in May!

"Maka, what are you talking about? We met in May. Not April."

"No we didn't," she insisted. "It was April 10th. I'm positive about that. I have it circled on the calendar in my room!"

"We met on May 10th."

"No we didn't!"

"Yes we did! This is me you're talking to. The guy who puts on this big celebration where we go out for ice cream and pizza and stay up watching movies. Do you really think I'd forget when our anniversary is?"

She licked her lips, and seemed to be debating something in her head before turning back to him. Her brows were scrunched together as she refused to believe him. Soul groaned out as he saw a losing battle before him, and ran a hand through his hair. Why did Maka have to be so difficult sometimes?

"You're not gonna give up, are you?"

"No," she said.

But her voice told him that a part of her was putting the pieces of the puzzle together as she tried to remember when their anniversary was exactly.

"Maka, listen to me. I'm right about this, I know I am."

"No. You can't be. I clearly remember that we had celebrated it after Easter last year which is why I had circled it in my calendar so I didn't forget. You're the one who forgot! I know you are!"

"Why do you have to be so hardheaded sometimes?"

"Why do you have to forget important dates?!"

"You're being unreasonable, Maka."

"You're being unreasonable!"

"Why do you always have to be right?"

"Because you're a dumbass!"

"That makes no sense."

"You make no sense!"

"You're being a child."

"I hate you!"

"I hate you, too!"

Maka huffed and crossed her arms. "Fine. We both hate each other, and we both forgot to celebrate our friend-iversary. Can we at least settle on that?"

"Except that I didn't forget! You're the one who mixed up that damn dates!"

She opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to think against it as she snapped it close. Turning on her heel, she stomped across the grass toward her house without saying anything more on the matter.

"Walking away, huh? Typical," he muttered under his breath.

And instead of following her to argue more on the matter, he walked toward his own home.

Typical.

Later that night when he was trying to fall asleep, his body still fuming over the little argument with Maka, his phone vibrated next to him. The screen lit up his room for a few seconds before it faded to black. He flipped over, and pulled it off his desk to read the text he had received. At first he thought it was Black Star asking him if he had the answers to their homework, but his heart lurched at Maka's name gracing his phone once again.

From Maka to Soul: I'm sorry. You were right. Our friend-iversary is on May 10th not April 10th. I was a slight bitch to you this last week and earlier. I'm sorry.

He smiled to himself as he swiped his phone on, and typed out his response.

From Soul to Maka: It's cool. Not the first time I did something that ticked you off.

From Maka to Soul: Urgh. Yea, sorry about all those times too. I've been a terrible friend, haven't I?

From Soul to Maka: Nah. You're the best friend a guy could ask for. A little temperamental sometimes, but still one of the best friends ever.

From Maka to Soul: Thanks, Soul.

From Maka to Soul: So are we friends again?

Soul chuckled to himself. God he loved the girl so much even if she was a moron sometimes.

From Soul to Maka: We never weren't friends, idiot.

From Maka to Soul: Good. I'm glad :)

From Maka to Soul: Drive me to school tomorrow?

From Soul to Maka: Can't you walk?

From Maka to Soul: Rude!

From Soul to Maka: I'll give you a ride. Be ready by 7, 'kay?

From Maka to Soul: Thanks! Night, Soul!

He typed out his reply, and paused before sending it. The urge to type out 'I love you' was strong as his thumbs hovered over the keyboard. But it was far too soon. There were things that had to happen before he went of on a tangent and said he was in love with her. Soul had to be sure that Maka felt the same way about him, that she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her. Telling her he loved her now wasn't the right time. So he hit send.

From Soul to Maka: Night.

With that final message, he rolled over in bed and tried to get some rest before the next day. Thoughts of being madly in love with his best friend swarmed around his mind. Sleep didn't come easy to him as he dreamed of kissing Maka, touching her in places he had never touched before. It was probably one of the best dreams ever had - one of the most vivid ones - as he felt the smoothness of her thighs beneath his fingertips. The burning sensation of having her move beneath him, and the way her nails scratched down his back all felt far too real. Like he had done this before with her many times.

He woke up the next day with a smile on his face, and his dick in an upright position.


	5. I Know Places

**Day 5: Night Swimming/Skinny Dipping**

**I Know Places**

* * *

He doesn't immediately go to talk to her, but instead opts to hang out by the refreshment table near her house.

Taking a sip of punch from the red cup, he watches as Maka talks to some of her close friends, her laughter ringing out across the yard toward him. It reminds him of bells on a Sunday morning. Bright, cheerful, full of life. And a familiar warmth creeps along his skin, spreading from his toes up his legs, torso, along his arms until it reaches the nape of his neck. It's the same feeling he gets anytime he's near her, and seeing her know, it isn't surprising.

Three months.

Three months have passed since the last time he saw her, and his heart is beating wildly in his chest. And it isn't because of nerves. It's because he's seeing her beauty for the first time in so long, the curve of her neck as she tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder. The faint dimples on her cheeks shine in the faint light from inside. Every bit of her body is intoxicating, and he wants nothing more than to walk over and touch the small of her back. To gently kiss her in front of everyone.

But he can't. He needs to first confess that he loves her before doing anything like that.

Throwing his cup into the trash can beside the table, he makes his way over toward, a determined look in his eyes.

He can do this.

He knows he can.

Xx.

Ever since they were little, Maka had had a knack for fabricating very intricate plans that involved them breaking into some random place. When she found out that Sea World kept beluga and orca whales in tiny tanks that were bad for them, she had wanted to pull a Free Willy and save them. But her and Soul didn't make passed the front door before her dad burnt down that bridge. If that hadn't stopped them, the fact that they lived nowhere near a Sea World might have put a stop to their plans.

Maka's scheming only increased as they grew older, and her need to fulfill them had grown after her parents divorce.

When he was thirteen and she was twelve, Maka had the bright idea that they should break into a corner store because she wanted some ice cream and neither of them had any. Soul told her she was crazy. She claimed it was logical. He protested quite a few times. Somehow they still found themselves outside the store near their house while Soul complained the entire time about getting caught. But not once did he leave her alone because if she was going to jail over this, then he'd join her.

They did end up spending the night in a jail cell.

Lucky for them, the owner of the store was good friends with Spirit so there weren't any charges pressed on them. Unlucky for them both of their parents were pissed off that they had to wake up in the middle of the night to pick them up. Wes didn't let Soul forget about the incident until he finally left for college, following his younger brother around everywhere he went. Soul wasn't allowed to leave the house unless he gave his brother a detailed outline of his plans for the day. It was the worst two years of his short life up to that point.

But spending a night in jail didn't stop Maka from continuously dragging Soul along with her when she had the urge to create mischief. He probably could have stayed home or locked himself up in his room to prevent her pestering him about it, but it was Maka who was asking. his best friend since he was five and she was four, the girl who cared about him when he thought there was no one. The girl who had held his hand and cradled him in her lap when he was having a mental breakdown. He had to make sure she remained safe; he owed her that much.

Which was how he found himself climbing over the fence surrounding the outdoor public pool while she encouraged him on the otherside.

Her long hair flew in the wind as she ran in front of him toward the pool, turning around every few seconds to laugh. It was exhilarating and freeing. A rush he had never felt before, and a laugh bubbled up from his own throat as hers rang out into the empty night air. The moon shone down on her like a spotlight, and this was entirely her own show. She was the ring leader, he was her sidekick, and their target audience was misfits exactly them. People who needed an escape from reality because the confines of the real world were too strong.

Green eyes lit up as she reached the edge of the pool, and her smile was intoxicating when she looked up at him. Maka didn't waste any time as she pulled her shirt over her head, rid herself of her shorts, and slipped her feet out of her sandals. She walked back a few inches and made a quick dash to cannonball into the pool. Water sprayed up over the edge and wet his feet, but Soul didn't pay much attention to it.

His attention was instead focused on the girl in front of him, and the fact that she had definitely grown since he last saw her half-naked.

The last time he had seen her in a bikini it was her first year of high school, and they had taken a trip down to the beach on weekend. She didn't have much to show compared to the other girls they were with. Maka had spent most of her time wearing Soul's t-shirt, and complained to him about the fact that she was so flat-chest with nothing appealing about her body.

But, shit, did that change.

He didn't stare at her chest a lot when they were younger, but from his vantage point now and the way the moonlight covered her body, it was obvious she had something. There was a slight curve to her body as she floated on her back in the cooling water. Her eyes were closed, and he heard a faint humming sound coming from her. Soul quickly thanked the heavens that she wasn't paying attention to him because his pants were becoming more uncomfortable the more he stared at her.

Toned stomachs, nice chest, and even nicer thighs were a dangerous combination.

Soul shed himself of his own clothes, and quickly dipped into the water to conceal his very obvious boner from her. Maka remained in her own world as she casually floated around while he doggy paddled around, hoping his issue would die down.

It didn't.

It only it became worse once she grew tired of lounging around and swam over toward him. She stood on tip toe on the concrete ground below, her chest just barely over the waterline. Soul had a very nice view of the curve of her small boobs as they peaked out from the bikini top. And when she spoke, his attention was fighting to remain on her face rather than the fact that he was able to see her hardened nipples.

"Isn't this fun?" she asked, her eyes glowing with excitement.

"Yeah, fun. If you think the possibility of getting caught is fun."

Maka's shoulders slumped over a little, and she playfully pushed him. "Don't be such a buzzkill, Soul! Lighten up a little. Besides, isn't being caught part of the fun?"

The warmth against his bare chest where her hand had briefly touched him started to die down, and he missed it immediately. What would he give to have her hands all over him right now? To pull her toward him and press their bodies against the other? To relish in the feel of her chest on his, the hardness of her nipples poking him? His own boner pressed against her leg?

He'd do anything for that.

But like the times before when he became a little more excited than a best friend should, Soul killed his thoughts - or tried - and focused on the conversation at hand.

"If I'm with you, I won't really mind getting caught."

A light pink dusted her cheeks while heat pricked against his neck.

Shit. That came out wrong.

"I-I mean as long as we're together then it'd be cool." That didn't sound right either. "Because we're best friends and all. And best friends stick together, right?"

Maka seemed a little disappointed at his words, but smiled and nodded nonetheless. "Yeah. Of course. Best friends do everything together." She lightly punched him again, her hand lingering longer than it should have as she brushed it down his chest, but he didn't think anything of it.

There was no possible way Maka liked him as anything more than a friend.

"It's colder than I thought it would be, though," she said as she wrapped her around each other and shivered a little. "Maybe we should get out and go home?"

Now that she mentioned it, it was a little cold.

"Uh, yeah."

"Maybe we can go over to your place and watch some movies or something? I think that one channel is doing another Harry Potter movie marathon."

"That sounds good."

He watched as she turned and swam back to where their clothes were, and she pulled herself up over the edge, giving him a very nice view her ass. Her bottoms clung to her skin from the water, and it exposed the small curve of her butt before making way for her very long legs. God his best friend was either the hottest woman on the face of the planet, or he was very horny. Either way, he knew the right person he wanted to release the tension with.

Fuck, why did they have to be only friends?

Soul shook himself out of his daze as Maka dried herself off with one of the towels she had brought for them. He started to make his way toward her, but then he remembered something very important. The last fifteen minutes of his time had been spent staring and admiring his best friends very nice body which had led to all the blood in his body occupying a certain body part. And if he were to get out of the pool now, his boner would be out on display for her to see, and she'd know.

Maka would know he had become turned on because of her.

Shit. What was he going to do?

"Are you coming?" Maka asked.

"Uh," was all that came out. Soul panicked and began to swim backwards away from her. As far away from as possible to prevent her from seeing things she shouldn't. "Nah. I think I'm good for another few minutes. How about you just go ahead of me?"

Her brows scrunched together as she walked along the edge of the pool toward him. "Soul, if you don't get out, you're gonna make yourself sick."

"No I'm not! I have a good immune system."

It was a lie. They both knew it was lie. He got sick at the smallest cough that was thrown his way. But he needed something to prove that he didn't need to get out at that very moment.

"Soul!" she chided. "Get out of the pool!"

"I'm fine, Maka!"

She stomped her foot and balled her hands. "If you don't get out right now, I'm gonna jump in there and make you get out myself!"

No matter how he saw it, it was going to be a losing battle. Slumping his shoulders, Soul wadded over toward her to face his fate.

"Here," she offered him her hand, "I'll help you get out."

And there was his chance.

"Thanks."

But instead of letting her help him up, Soul pulled her back into the pool. As she splashed around trying to collect herself, he took the short time to exit the water and quickly ran toward where his clothes and the spare towel were. He made sure to dry himself off in the area that was the most important at the present moment for turning around. Maka was fuming as she pushed back her sopping bangs from her face and glared up at him.

"You bastard!" she growled.

Soul shrugged and walked back toward her, picking up the towel she had discarded on his way. "Sorry."

Maka exited the pool, and yanked the towel out of his hands. "That was a really dick move, you know?"

"Oh, I do know. Trust me."

Thankfully she didn't catch the implication behind his wording.

"Good!" She wrapped herself up in the blanket as she waited for him to change into his clean, dry clothes. "You better make this up to me. My clothes are wet now because of you. I can't go home because Papa will ask me what happened."

"Spend the night at my place, then. You can take Wes' bed since he's off at college." Her green eyes squinted as she wanted more to the deal. Soul sighed. "We have to boxes of Raisinets left. You can have them."

Her disposition changed immediately and beamed up at him in a manner that reminded him of an angel. An angel who was also secretly the devil.

"Thank you!"

They made their way home, Soul successfully concealing the small tent in his pants from his best friend. When they arrived at his house, he gave her his old Pianoman shirt and a pair of blue boxers to change into while he excused himself to the other bathroom to quickly jack off before heading down to his living room where Maka was already sitting. He waved off her questions of why he took so long by saying he had to take a shit, and she immediately dropped the subject.

They spent the rest of their night on his couch watching Harry Potter movies and eating popcorn. Eventually they both fell asleep on the couch, Maka nuzzled up against his chest, and Soul leaning over the edge of the couch.


	6. If This Was a Movie

**Day 6: Worth It**

**If This Was a Movie**

* * *

Soul continues pushing his way through the crowd that gathers on the dancefloor, his focus remaining on the girl ahead of him. He has a purpose for being here, and he'll do anything in his power to accomplish it.

A blur of blue flashes in the corner of his eye, and Soul almost falls to the ground as a hard body smashes into the side of him.

"Soul!" Black Star yells.

Soul prays that Maka isn't able to hear him over the techno music being played now. He doesn't want him being there to be ruined. It's supposed to be a surprise, dammit!

"What are you doing here? I thought Maka said you were gonna be stuck at school this weekend!"

"Would you shut the fuck up or quiet down?" he asks as he pushes his friend off him and throws a quick glance toward Maka. He thanks the heavens that she's still in deep conversation with Liz and Patti.

"Oh, I see. Maka doesn't know you're here, does she?"

"No, she doesn't. I was gonna surprise her."

Star's eyes twinkle as he smiles up at his friend. "You gonna tell her you love her?"

Does everyone know why he's back?

"Who told you that?"

"Dude," Star claps him on the back, "everyone knows! It's been fucking obvious since day one! You look at her like the sun rises and falls because of her! Everyone knows you're madly in love with Maka except for the girl in question."

Well, shit. He didn't think his feelings about her were that obvious.

"You're not gonna fuck this up for me, are you?" His friend always did have a bad habit of trying to be the center of attention. Whether it was scaling the side of the high school on the first day or ruining Kid's graduation speech by jumping off the stage.

But Black Star only smiles, and gives Soul a small push in Maka's direction. "Nah. Don't worry about me. Go ahead and get her."

A little dazed at his friend's kind words, Soul gives a small nod before walking back in the direction where Maka is.

Xx.

Since the moment they met, Soul and Maka had shared many firsts together.

The first time Soul had started school, Maka had traveled along with his parents even though she didn't have to. She was the one who had held his hand and led him to one of the tables where the other kids were, the one who had sparked a conversation with a girl neither of them knew. It had been Maka who made his first day special and helped him make new friends. Soul had repaid the favor once she started school, and even sat down with her before it was time for him to join his classroom.

When they were thirteen and twelve, Soul had been there for Maka when she endured her first heartbreak. He had been the one who helped soothe her, and reassured her that she was indeed worth it. That the guy who broke up with her was a complete idiot for ending things with her. There had been copious amounts of ice cream and chocolate involved and a shit ton of horror movies with the final girl trope that night. But all Soul remembered was the fact that his best friend was hurt and distraught and needed help.

Maka had even been there for him when he had his big piano concert that his parents had set up for him months in advance. It was her who had held his hand and reminded him that while others may hate his music, she was in love with it. He had walked on the stage, his nerves a raging mess, but she had remained standing on the sidelines. Her smile was small as he played. His eyes never left hers. He had performed for her and only for her.

She didn't owe him anything, and he didn't owe her anything. They were best friends who supported each other, and helped the other conquer their fears.

There had been many firsts they shared together, except for one.

They were sitting on his couch when she had asked him, her tone as casual as can be as they watched the couple in the movie do their thing. He probably wouldn't have thought anything of it or ventured further on the subject if it had been anyone else. He probably would have ignored the conversation entirely, gave some half-assed answer, and moved on in life. But this was his best friend. The girl he had had a crush on for far too long by now, and the question had stirred something inside of him.

"Have you had your first kiss before?" she asked, and Soul almost choked on the popcorn in his mouth.

After he cleared his throat with some water, he turned to his friend and gaped. "W-what?"

Maka hugged her legs closer to her, shrugged, and pink coated her cheeks. "I'm just curious if you've had your first kiss yet."

Soul blinked.

He wasn't entirely sure what to say. Of course he hadn't experienced his first kiss yet because he was holding out for the girl he had been madly in love with since he was fourteen. There had never really been anyone else who attracted him as much as she had. For him it had always been her or no one. Soul was ready to watch his best friend marry someone else, probably die alone, more than he was to kiss anyone who wasn't her.

But he wasn't ready for her to know that. Not yet, at least.

So he did what he did best. He lied.

Soul casually and cooly rid the shook from his face as he leaned back on the couch and ate some more popcorn. "Well, yeah. I had my first kiss ages ago. Who hasn't had their first kiss by their our age?"

Hopefully her!

"Who was it?" she asked. Maka tucked her legs beneath her as she turned to stare at him, an elation and sorrow in her gaze he wasn't quite able to understand.

"Uh, you wouldn't know her. She was some girl I had met back in school."

Soul's fingers tingled with the urge to scratch the back of his neck, but he had to control himself. Maka knew his tell for lying like the back of her hand. If he so much as touched his hair, she'd know he was bluffing and call him out on it. There was no way he was going to let her know that he hadn't been kissed yet.

"Oh," was all she said.

Her voice sounded small and hurt, and pain crossed his chest as her shoulders slumped down. She returned to her previous sitting position and snuggled up to him as if it were normal for friends to sit this close when they watched a movie. But it was, right? All friends sat like that, especially when they had known each other for so long and were comfortable amongst each other. It was normal, right?

Yeah. Of course it was. Why would it be any different for them? They had set the boundaries between each other, and friendship was as far as their relationship was ever going to go. At least, he believed they had set a boundary between each other. They had never really talked about it; he had only assumed they were just friends. Maybe there was a chance…

Soul rid himself of silly thoughts of being with his best friend like that. She didn't love him beyond the realms of friendship, and he shouldn't be getting his hopes up that she did. It was a hopeless pining, and he needed to rid himself of it before it fucked over his friendship with her.

But the same question she had asked him burned on the tip of his tongue as he aggressively took a bite out of a candy bar. His teeth mashed on the chocolatey bits, ripping it to shred, his tongue rolling it around in his mouth. Had she or hadn't she had her first kiss yet? He just had to know.

"Have you?"

"Have I what?"

She turned to look up at him, and Soul became aware of how close they were sitting now. He was able to count the freckles that littered her nose and cheeks, the blonde lashes that outlined her vibrant green eyes, and the cracks on her lips. It shouldn't have turned him on, but it did. And his body was overwhelmed with the need to wet her mouth with his, to read her of her chapped lips. To run his hand through her hair and pull out her pigtails. He wanted her, god did he want her so bad, but he couldn't.

They were friends. Best friends. And best friends didn't kiss without telling the other person they were madly in love with them.

"Have you had your first kiss yet?"

His voice was deeper and huskier than normal, would have made his skin boil if this were some kind of movie. Watching the couple on screen that he knew belonged together this close was pure, blissful torture. The question of would they or wouldn't they burning in the back of his mind, and the need for them to close the gap strong enough that he had to fight the urge to push them together.

Thank god their life wasn't like a movie then.

Maka's tongue flicked out to wet her lips, and Soul's breath almost left him at the small gesture. What would he do to kiss her right now?

"Yeah."

His heart dropped into the pits of hell, and his body went cold at her answer. He swallowed the lump in his throat before speaking again.

"Who was it?"

He didn't even sound cool to himself. God why did he have to be a flustered idiot?

"My first boyfriend back when I was twelve. Hiro."

Right. Of course. He should have known. It wasn't like Maka Albarn had pulled a Soul Evans and waited out to save her first kiss for her best friend. Because that would have been absurd and pathetic and sad.

But that still didn't stop him from wanting to skin the guy alive and wish that it had been him.

She gave a half-hearted shrug and smile. "It wasn't anything special, though. Just a normal not anything like you see in the movies."

"Were you expecting fireworks, a cheesy soundtrack, and doves to fly over your heads?"

"Take out the doves, then yes. But I guess it doesn't happen to everyone, right? The whole finding your true love when you're young and growing up to marry them."

"That shit only happens in the movies." But he wished it were true. "Was it worth it, though? Having your first kiss be with Hiro instead of someone else?"

"I don't really have much say on it since I did date a couple other guys after him." Her gaze dropped a little. "But I guess it would have been nice to at least have the whole fireworks and your world spinning happen at least once."

Maka looked back up at him. He swore she had moved closer to him at some point. The lavender of her body wash wafted up his nose, and it felt like the stars had aligned to give him this perfect moment. To give him the opportunity to come clean at that very moment that he wanted to feel the fireworks and world spinning experience with her. Soul felt himself slowly move forward to close the gap between them. Her breath was warm as it hit his face, and his heart pounded in his chest.

He wanted to kiss her so bad, and maybe she did too if her not moving away meant anything. Or she was as shocked as him that they were this close.

"Maybe you haven't kissed the right person to have that kind of reaction?" he offered, teasing the idea that she might possibly want to kiss him too.

"Maybe," she whispered.

Soul swallowed and licked his lips before making the conscious decision to move forward a little bit, and-

"Hey, guys!" Wes called out as he entered the living room, and Soul and Maka jumped away from each other to the opposite ends of the couch. "What are you two watching? Some cheesy romance?"

Soul would have very much liked to bite his brother's hand off at that very moment as Wes grabbed some popcorn out of the bowl.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Wes? I thought you were going back to campus today?"

Not like it mattered. The moment had been ruined, and now he'd never know if Maka loved him the same way he loved her.

"Nah. Decided to stay a little longer. See what you two kids were doing. Make sure neither of you tried to give me a niece or nephew before I was ready." Wes threw his sickeningly charming smile at his brother, and Soul was very close to clawing it off his face.

"Wes, just shut the fuck up and go do something in your room!"

"Oh, that reminds me that Jessica wanted me to go over to her place like an hour ago. I'll see you two later." His older brother dropped the uneaten popcorn back in the bowl and walked away. But not without throwing, "And don't be making out on the couch anymore," over his shoulder.

Soul fumed with anger and embarrassment while Maka's face turned as red as his eyes on the other end. There was no going back to how they were sitting earlier now. They both spent the rest of their Sunday jumping at the slightest thing the other did, avoided asking each other about what had almost happened earlier, and didn't bother eating popcorn anymore. She left his house without saying anything other than a cordial goodbye. The next day when he went over to her house, she had the same cheery disposition he was used to, and he knew that the almost kiss was in the past.

A week later, he had gone off to college without asking her or telling her how he really felt about her. Two months into his college experience, he had started dating a girl who was his first kiss, but the fireworks and world spinning didn't happen. Not even ten days into their relationship, he broke up with her because it was pointless to toy with someone's heart when his own belonged to another girl.

In November he told her he wasn't going to make it to her birthday party, but that had been another lie.


	7. Get the Girl

**A/N: There will be a few omakes for this so be on the lookout for them. I hope y'all enjoy this little story! And remember reviews/comments are greatly appreciated.**

**Day 7: Coming of Age**

**Get the Girl**

* * *

Soul's footsteps are calm and quiet as he finally pushes out of the crowd on the dancefloor, but his nerves are frayed. There's only one last obstacle standing in his way now: him.

He watches as she laughs at a joke Liz tells, her laughter filling the night air. It's a sound he has come to miss so much in the time he's been away from her. A chill crawls down his spine. His body heats up with love and desire. The tips of his fingers tingle with the need to lightly brush her cheek. He wants nothing more than to to wrap his hands on her waist, spin her around, and kiss her as if they've done it forever.

But he can't.

Especially not in front of all these people. That isn't them, even if they were together, and he knows it. Whether his feelings for her are returned or not, it isn't fair to pull a cheap move like that. To put her on the spot was something he'd never do to her in a million years. No, it's better if he waits for the kissing to happen, to see if she love him like he loves her before doing things like that. It's fair to both of them, and saves him the embarrassment of rejection.

Swallowing his pride and willing his nerves to calm down, Soul takes a cautious step onto the grass, and continues closing the distance between them. The air around him buzzes with a mixture of anxiety and want. The techno music that he despises but Maka adores dies down for a brief second before picking up again as another song plays. Liz's gaze lands on him and she gives a small, knowing smile before looking back at Maka. His heart pounds in his ears.

Soul releases a quiet sigh as he stops behind her, and gently places his hand on her shoulder. She whips around, annoyance clear on her face, but it quickly makes way for shock as she sees who it is.

"Soul!" He catches her smile before his vision is blurred with a mass of blonde as she throws her arms around his neck. "I thought you weren't coming."

He feels a few of his nerves escape as he laughs. "I wanted to surprise you."

Her elation is short lived as she moves away and glares at him. "But what about your test on Monday?"

Of course she'd be worried about something as trivial as grades at a moment like this.

"I lied. I don't have a test. Like I said, I wanted to surprise you for your birthday so I had to come up with some excuse."

She playfully hits him in the shoulder. "You could have come up with a better lie than that. Tests aren't something to joke about."

"Only nerds think that."

"I guess I'm a nerd then," she beamed.

"You two are absolutely cute. It's a wonder why you aren't together yet," Liz cuts in.

His heart leaps at the thought of being together, but also sinks because they aren't. He feels heat creep up his throat and chest as he quickly becomes aware that his arms are still around Maka's waist, and her own around his.

Maka cheeks turn scarlet as she unravels herself from him, and stands bashfully beside him as she mumbles, "We're just friends."

"Uh-huh." Liz smacks her lips together and twines her arm with Patti's. "Let's leave these two friends alone, Patti. Give them some time to catch up or do friend things."

"Liz," Maka growls. Soul stares between the two girls, and gets the feeling he missed something. "You promised."

"And I kept with my promise, right? I haven't said anything. If anyone's giving anything away its you. Now if you'll excuse use, we're gonna go mingle with everyone else. Give you two some privacy."

And with that, Soul and Maka are left alone in her backyard as the rest of the partygoers continue dancing to the shitty ass music. He stuffs his hands in his pockets as he quickly realizes that this is his chance, his time to tell Maka everything he's been burning to say for over a month. He feels his nerves coming back as he stares down at her. Her fingers twirl a few strands of hair in her pigtail as she kicks at the ground, a nervous habit she had picked up through the years. Soul isn't sure if he's relieved or nauseous at the thought of her feeling the same as him.

His gaze turns from her to the treehouse that still remains before focusing back on her.

"Can we maybe go up to the treehouse? Give us some real privacy to talk and catch up." He pauses and licks his lips, his heart feeling heavier. "I really did miss you."

And he honest to God did.

Seeing her in the flesh again is like a dream come true. It had been far too long since they last saw each other in person, since the last time he heard her voice that wasn't over a speaker. She's exactly how he remembers her. The same freckles grace her cheeks and the brim of her nose, her lips are the same light pink, and her gaze is just as vibrant and full of life.

"I'd like that. I missed you, too."

Her smile reaches her eyes, and he knows her words are genuine. His heart slows down as warmth spreads across his chest, and he's completely taken away by her beauty. There's no doubt in his mind. He wants to be with her more than anything else in the world, and he isn't going to fuck this up.

Maka climbs into the treehouse first, her long legs taking one step at a time as he watches from below before he makes his own ascent. Inside, she stands in the middle looking around at the memories that remain from the childhood. The books and board games are still scattered around along with old photographs. Even the shaggy, worn out rug still sits in the middle of the floor. Nothing has decayed or rotten over the years; someone has clearly made it their goal to keep everything in perfect condition after they grew out of the place.

"I haven't been in here for so long," she says. "I can't believe everything still looks the same."

"It was always a good treehouse."

And it was. Their parents had chipped in to buy them one of the best treehouses on the market at the time, the exterior of it being made in the finest wood available. It isn't some cheap material built by parents who wanted to please their kids quickly. The little house was built with care and the expectation that it was going to last for years.

But he didn't come here to talk about the treehouse.

"So what did you wanna talk to me about that was so private?" she asks. Her eyes sparkle a little as she gives him a sly smile, the one he knows always meant she was up to something. That she had her own ulterior motives for certain things.

Soul smiles and licks his lips. His hand slides into his back pocket, his fingertips touching the edges of the card that's there, and his nerves begin to pick up.

He can do this.

But he didn't really think beyond the idea of coming up to the treehouse to do it.

Soul glances from Maka to the floor as he tries to collect his thoughts, encourage himself to come out and say it. The trick, though, is how does he do it? Does he come out with the confession immediately? Or does he beat around the bush, and hope she hints that she loves him too? God this is more difficult than he had anticipated. His heart starts to pick up again, the beat echoing in his ears, and he feels a wave of nausea roll over his body.

"Are you okay? You look pale," Maka says.

Turning his attention back on her, he focuses on how much he's missed her, how much he loves her, and reminds himself that doing this will calm him down. Knowing her answer will help him move on from the nervous feelings he's had for the last month.

"Yeah, I'm fine." His hand slips over the card and slides it out to offer it to her. "I actually brought you up here because I was wondering if you still felt the same way about what you wrote in this card."

The ends of it are frayed from him opening it over and over throughout the years, but the message inside can still be read clear as day. The feelings that a younger, smaller version of Maka can still be felt and understood. The simple question of asking him to marry is still there.

Her eyes bulge at the sight of it, the familiar heart with a puppy inside clicking in her head immediately as she snatches the card away. He tries not to chuckle at the blush creeping up her throat as she hides behind it. She stares at the shaggy rug when she speaks to him.

"I can't believe you still have this."

"You don't really throw away a card with a marriage proposal inside," he defends.

Maka's cheeks suck in as she purses her lips. "I was a kid, Soul. I didn't know what marriage really meant back then."

He bounces back on his toes, stuffs his hands back in his front pockets, and flicks his tongue out. "So is that a no?"

She looks conflicted as she pulls her gaze back on him. Uncertainty and want swarm around a green background as she drops the card and folds her arms in front of her chest.

"Do you want me to still mean it?"

It's a challenge.

Butterflies flutter around his stomach, his heart goes warm, and it takes everything in him not jump and scream around the small space at the implications of her words.

Soul smirks as he says, "Why? Do you want me to want you to mean it?"

That didn't even makes sense.

But Maka throws her arms down in frustration instead of chiding him for avoiding her question completely.

"I can't do this anymore. I need to know in order to calm myself down and stop imagining all these crazy scenarios in my head about you and me. I can't keep loving someone if they don't love me back." His heart stops at her words, and heat crawls up his body. "I know you and I are best friends, that we've been best friends for years, but I need to know because I…"

She glares at the wall as her mind tries to form the words before turning back to him. "I love you, and I don't mean as a friend. I mean I've been in love with you for the past three years, Soul. I want to be with you, and these last few months without you have proven that." She pauses and shakes her head. "I know we're just friends, and that you might only think of me as a friend. Or even a little sister. But I need to know. I need to hear it from you."

There's another wave of tension between them as she takes a step forward, her shoulders back and her chin raised a little. He knows what she's doing. She's preparing herself for his rejection, but God is she wrong.

"Do you love me?"

Soul takes a step forward, smiles down at her, and wraps his arm around her waist to pull her forward. He hears her breath get caught in her throat at the small gesture, and her body melts in his embrace. Slowly, he leans toward her, not trusting his voice to answer properly because his throat is closed up. If he speaks, he fears he'll say the wrong thing, or fuck up and ruin the moment. Instead, he grows steadily closer to her, noting how her breathing has stopped, until their inches apart and he can clearly see every feature on her beautiful face the he loves so much.

He raises his other hand to cup her chin, pulling her toward him as he does so, and her breath warms his face.

"May I kiss you?" he simply asks, hoping that's enough for his answer.

Maka quickly licks her lips as she nods and whispers, "Please."

The gap between them closes, and his world starts to spin as his lips touch hers, they're soft and sweet as he melts against them. Her hands feel up his chest before winding themselves around his neck. His entire body warms at her touch, his toes curling in his shoes as she gently sucks on his bottom lip, and his stomach clenches as hot liquid forms there. She does things to his body that the last girl he kissed was never able to do, and he loves it. He loves everything about her; from her pigtails to her small chest to her ass to her legs to her angelic personality, he loves all of it.

Their noses mush together as they learn how to move with the other, breathing is difficult, but it feels so right being with her like this. Like this is how it was meant to be for them. Standing in a treehouse that they had shared as kids, where they had spent their nights sleeping beside each other. It had been their special place when they were kids, and now it's the first place that they have their first kiss.

He breaks away from her, his eyes half lidded as he stares down at her. Maka's lips look fuller than before, and he finds himself wanting to see them like that all the time. Leaning his forehead on hers, he gently kisses the tip of her nose, relishing in the fact that he can do that now, and sighs contently.

"Is that a yes?" she asks, and he hears the smile in her voice without having to see it.

"That's a fuck yes." They both laugh, and Maka moves slightly to gently kiss him again. "How many times are you gonna kiss me?"

"As much as I want," she says before kissing him again.

Resting his forehead on top of hers, they stand in the treehouse in complete content as the party continues to go on outside without the birthday girl there. Minutes pass by with them staring at the other, smiles gracing their faces as they move to kiss every now and then. They're all small pecks, brushes of her lips against his, but his body still reacts the same way as it did before. The same heat crawls up his body, his fingers grip her hips a little harder, and he feels like he'd float away if she weren't holding him still. No amount of dreaming can live up to this moment or could have prepared him for it. It's everything he ever wanted and then some.

After a while, he decides it's time for her to reappear at her party before anyone grows curious to where she's run off to – namely Spirit. He moves away from her with a small protest from her as she grunts out and her arms tighten around his neck.

"We need to go back down to the party, Maka."

"No we don't," she says with a little head shake, "We can stay up here together."

Soul sighs, draws his hands up her arms to twine his fingers with hers, and removes them from around his neck. Maka pouts as if she's a child being told not to touch him anymore, and his skips a beat.

"Don't make that face." He raises her hands up to his mouth and gently kisses both of them. "We'll have plenty of time to kiss later. Besides, I still owe someone a dance."

"Ten years later and you finally remember."

"And now it's my time to fulfill it. Come on."

She reluctantly follows him as he lead them to the entrance of the treehouse. Glancing down at the rug, Maka scrunches up her nose. "You know Black Star and Tsubaki had sex up here once."

He stares at her. "That just ruined the entire mood."

Giggling as he turns to climb down, she yells "I'm kidding!" before following him down.

Out on the dance floor, they find a space big enough for them just as the DJ started to play a slow song. Soul places both his hands on her hips while Maka wraps her arms around his neck and rests her head on his chest. They sway together, him taking the lead as he allows the music to flow through his body. It's a nice rock ballad that's actually one of his favorites, and he lowly hums the music so only she can hear.

The people around them slowly start to disappear from his consciousness, and it's only him and Maka on the dance floor. The gentle beating of her heart against his chest plays a song he knows far too well. The heat from her body is nice and comfortable as it soothes his soul, and he falls into a contentment he hasn't felt in years. Moving his head slightly to look down at her, he smiles as she mimics him, and leans down to gently kiss her for the hundredth time that night.

Everything feels right about it, them, and after wanting this for so long, he's ecstatic about the whole ordeal. He's elated that he can kiss her anytime he wants now, tell her he loves her anytime, and maybe in the future take another step in their relationship to deepen the bond they have. What started as a complicated day, has turned into the most perfect night of his life, and for the first time in a long time, his heart can beat steadily in a rhythm that matches her own.


End file.
